Duties of the local administrator shall include, but not be limited to:
(A) Permit review. Review all development permits to assure that the requirements of this chapter have been satisfied.
(B) Requirement of federal and/or state permits. Review proposed development to assure that all necessary permits have been received from those governmental agencies from which approval is required by federal or state law, including section 404 of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act Amendments of 1972, 33 U.S.C. 1334.
(C) Watercourse alterations.
(1) Notify adjacent communities and the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources, Land Resources, Land, Water, and Conservation Division, State Coordinator for the National Flood Insurance Program, prior to any alteration or relocation of a watercourse, and submit evidence of such notification to the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
(2) In addition to the notifications required watercourse alterations per division (C)(1) above, written reports of maintenance records must be maintained to show that maintenance has been provided within the altered or relocated portion of the watercourse so that the flood-carrying capacity is not diminished. This maintenance must consist of a comprehensive program of periodic inspections, and routine channel clearing and dredging, or other related functions. The assurance shall consist of a description of maintenance activities, frequency of performance, and the local official responsible for maintenance performance. Records shall be kept on file for FEMA inspection.
(3) If the proposed project will impact the configuration of the watercourse, floodway, non-encroachment area, or base flood elevation for which a detailed flood insurance study has been developed, the applicant shall apply for and must receive approval for a conditional letter of map revision with the Federal Emergency Management Agency prior to the start of actual construction.
(4) Within 60 days of completion of an alteration of a watercourse, referenced in the certification requirements of § 151.23(A)(4), the applicant shall submit as-built certification, by a registered professional engineer, to the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
(D) Floodway encroachments. Prevent encroachments within floodways unless the certification and flood hazard reduction provisions of § 151.36(G) are met.
(E) [Reserved].
(F) Adjoining floodplains. Cooperate with neighboring communities with respect to the management of adjoining floodplains and/or flood-related erosion areas in order to prevent aggravation of existing hazards.
(G) Notifying adjacent communities. Notify adjacent communities prior to permitting substantial commercial developments and large subdivisions to be undertaken in areas of special flood hazard and/or flood-related erosion hazards.
(H) Certification requirements.
(1) Obtain and review actual elevation (in relation to mean sea level) of the lowest floor of all new or substantially improved structures, in accordance with administrative procedures outlined in § 151.23(B)(2).
(2) Obtain the actual elevation (in relation to mean sea level) to which the new or substantially improved structures have been floodproofed, in accordance with the floodproofing certification outlined in § 151.23(B)(1).
(3) When floodproofing is utilized for a particular structure, obtain certifications from a registered professional engineer or architect in accordance with the non-residential construction requirements outlined in § 151.36(B).
(I) Map interpretation. Where interpretation is needed as to the exact location of boundaries of the areas of special flood hazard (for example, where there appears to be a conflict between a mapped boundary and actual field conditions), make the necessary interpretation. The person contesting the location of the boundary shall be given a reasonable opportunity to appeal the interpretation as provided in this subchapter.
(J) Prevailing authority. Where a map boundary showing an area of special flood hazard and field elevations disagree, the base flood elevations for flood protection elevations (as found on an elevation profile, floodway data table, and the like) shall prevail. The correct information should be submitted to FEMA as per the map maintenance activity requirements outlined in § 151.36(I)(2).
(K) Use of best available data. When base flood elevation data or floodway data has not been provided in accordance with § 151.04, obtain, review, and reasonably utilize best available base flood elevation data and floodway data available from a federal, state, or other source, including data developed pursuant to the standards for subdivision proposals outlined in § 151.37(E), in order to administer the provisions of this chapter. Data from preliminary, draft, and final flood insurance studies constitutes best available data from a federal, state, or other source. Data must be developed using hydraulic models meeting the minimum requirement of NFIP approved model. If an appeal is pending on the study in accordance with 44 CFR Ch. 1, Part 67.5 and 67.6, the data does not have to be used.
(L) Special flood hazard area/topographic boundaries conflict. When the exact location of boundaries of the areas special flood hazards conflict with the current, natural topography information at the site, specific site information shall take precedence when the lowest adjacent grade (LAG) is at or above the BFE. The property owner may then apply and be approved for a letter of map amendment (LOMA) by FEMA. The local administrator in the permit file will maintain a copy of the letter of map amendment issued from FEMA.
(M) On-site inspections. Make on-site inspections of projects in accordance with the administrative procedures outlined in § 151.25(D).
(N) Administrative notices. Serve notices of violations, issue stop-work orders, revoke permits and take corrective actions in accordance with the administrative procedures in § 151.25.
(O) Records maintenance. Maintain all records pertaining to the administration of this chapter and make these records available for public inspection.
(P) Annexations and detachments. Notify the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources Land, Water and Conservation Division, State Coordinator for the National Flood Insurance Program, within six months, of any annexations or detachments that include special flood hazard areas. The community must incorporate applicable maps from surrounding jurisdictions into this chapter within 90 days of date of the annexation.
(Q) Federally funded development. The President issued Executive Order 11988, Floodplain Management May 1977. E.O. 11988 directs federal agencies to assert a leadership role in reducing flood losses and losses to environmental values served by floodplains. Proposed developments must go through an eight-step review process. Evidence of compliance with the executive order must be submitted as part of the permit review process.
(R) Substantial damage determination. Perform an assessment of damage from any origin to the structure using FEMA’s Residential Substantial Damage Estimator (RSDE) software to determine if the damage equals or exceeds 50% of the market value of the structure before the damage occurred.
(S) Substantial improvement determinations. Perform an assessment of permit applications for improvements or repairs to be made to a building or structure equals or exceeds 50% of the market value of the structure before the improvement or repair is started. Cost of work counted for determining if and when substantial improvement to a structure occurs shall be cumulative for a period of five years. If the improvement project is conducted in phases the total of all cost associated with each phase, beginning with the issuance of the first permit, shall be utilized to determine whether substantial improvement will occur.
(1) Methods of market value determination. The market values shall be determined by one of the following methods:
(a) The current assessed building value as determined by the county assessor’s office or the value of an appraisal performed by a licensed appraiser at the expense of the owner within the past six months;
(b) One or more certified appraisals from a registered professional licensed appraiser in accordance with the laws of South Carolina. The appraisal shall indicate actual replacement value of the building or structure in its pre-improvement condition, less the cost of site improvements and depreciation for functionality and obsolescence; or
(c) Real estate purchase contract within six months prior to the date of the application for a permit.
(Ord. 2508, passed 6-2-08; Am. Ord. 114, passed 1-21-14; Am. Ord. 417, passed 3-6-17; Am. Ord. 2221, passed 5-17-21)